Plumbing unit



Jan. s, 1959 A. H. MvMlNN PLUMBING .uNIT

Original Filed May 12, 1954 mim --IIIIIIIIHl n ..0 Rl m mM WH. I y m A tal portion.

respect to the stack, the pipe with the straighthorizontal United States Patent Av'O i 2 Claims. (Cl. 4-211) My invention relates to a method of connecting a toilet bowl with a vertical stack, when the bowl is oil centerwith respect to the stack, and to the plumbing unit produced by the method. l

It is customary in the plumbing business, when a toilet bowl is on center with the vertical stack, to connect the Ibottom of the bowl with the stack by an integral pipe or coupling, which is straight except for an upturned end which enters the bottom of the bowl. The toilet bowl is on center with the stack when a line at right angles to the wall arranged in front of the stack passes through the center of the bottom of the bowl and the center of the vertical stack. When a line arranged at right angles to the wall passes through the bottom of the toilet bowl but is onset laterally from the center of the stack, then the toilet bowl is said to be oiset with respect to the stack. It is sometimes required in a given locality that the bowl have its distance from the vertical wall which covers the stack fixed to a selected distance, such as twelve inches, although this may vary. It is the settled practice to arrange the toilet bowl near the vertical wall which covers the stack, to economize in space, as bathrooms are ordinarily relatively small. The coupling which is provided upon the vertical stack is horizontal and at right angles to the coupling, and when the toilet bowl is on center with respect to the stack, the bottom of the toilet bowl may be connected with the coupling of the stack by a unitary pipe having a straight horizon- When the toilet bowl is off center with portion cannot be used, and an individual coupling element is made for each job, and as far as I know, prior to my invention, the individual coupling element has been made in several separate connected tubular elements, including elbows or the like. Due to the short space available, such a coupling element is difficult to make and expensive.

In accordance with my invention, I make and keep in stock a large number of pipes or tubular elements, of dierent horizontal angular shapes and which may also differ in length. When it is desired to connect a closet bowl with the stack, when the closet bowl is oi center with respect to the stack, I take from the stock of tubular elements o-r pipes the tubular element or pipe having the desired horizontal angular arrangement and length. The

straight horizontal end of the tubular element or pipe is inserted into the straight horizontal coupling of the vertical stack and the upstanding or vertical end of the tubular element or pipe is inserted in the vertical end of the bowl, at its bottom. This method saves a great deal of time and expense.

An important object of the invention is to provide a tubular element or pipe which is simple and unitary, and made in the required horizontal angular shape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tubular element or pipe of the above-mentioned character which will dispense with the necessity of using several connected fittings.

2,866,981 Patented Jan. 6, 1959 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

The present application is a continuation of my application for Closet Bends, tiled May 12, 1954, Serial Number 429,269, since abandoned.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, t

Figure l is a perspective view of a closet bowl, vertical stack and connecting tubular element or pipe, the closet bowl being oi center with respect to the stack.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the tubular connecting element or pipe.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, parts broken away.

Figure 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section throughout the complete tubular elementor pipe.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the tubular element or pipe, illustrating various horizontal angular positions and lengths of parts.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a tubular element, body portion, or pipe, including a section 11 and a section 12 which `is ordinarily shorter than the section 11. The sections 11 and 12 are connected by a curve or bend 13, and zthe sections 11 and 12 and curve or bend 13 are arranged in the same plane, which would ordinarily be horizontal. The curve or bend 13 arranges section 11 at a horizontal inclined angle with the section 12, as indicated at 14. The section 11 is provided at its free end with an upstanding or vertical section 15, connected with the section 11 by a curve or bend 16. The section 15 is ordinarily vertically arranged and is at right angles to the horizontally arranged section 11.

Section 11 is provided upon its opposite sides with tubular tappngs or lugs 17, as shown. The angle of the tappings 17 with respect to the section 11 may be varied.

It is thus seen that I have provided a tubular element, body portion, or pipe which is unitary or integral, and having the desired horizontal angular relation between the sections of the same.

As shown in Figure 1, the numeral 18 designates a vertical stack, having a horizontal coupling 19 and 20 is the toilet bowl. The location of the bowl 20, off center with respect to the stack 18, necessitates the use of a tubular element or pipe having the proper horizontal anguiar arrangement. In Figure l, the end of the section 12 is connected with the coupling 19 and the vertical section 1S leads into the bottom of the bowl 20. A pipe 21 which may be connected with the drain of the bath tub is connected with one tapping 17, while a pipe 22 which leads to the drain of the basin or sink leads into the other tapping 17.

It is thus seen that a tubular element, or pipe, having the selected horizontal angle 14 will be used, as required. It is intended to make these tubular elements or pipes in various horizontal angular shapes, and the horizontal angle 14 may be varied, and the section llassumes diierent angular positions with respect to the section 12, as shown in the dotted lines in Figure 5. Further, the length of the sections 11 and 12 may be varied. The tubular element or pipe 10 may thus be formed as an integral casting, or it may be formed of a copper tubular y element which may be bent into the desired shape. It

is contemplated to manufacture these tubular elements or pipes 10 in a large number of sizes and horizontal angular shapes, which may be kept in stock, so that a selected tubular element or pipe is provided and may be taken and will be suitablejfor connecting the closet bowl with the verticalstack, depending uponthe location of the bowl with respect to the stack, when ot center with the stack. The section '11 may be at right angles to the section 12.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred 'embodiment of the same, and that changes may be made 'in the shape, size and arrangement of parts and in the 4order of the steps of the method, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoine'd claims.

Having Ythus described my invention,I claim:

1. A plumbing unit comprising, a vertical stack having a horizontal coupling, a toilet bowl larranged near and spaced from the vertical stack and oi center With respect 4thereto 'and having a tubular bottom, and a unitary tubular element for 'connecting the Vertical stack and toilet bowl, said vunitary tubular element being generally horizontal in use and including horizontal end sections and van 'intermediate ben'd integrallyconnecting the end sections, one end section being arranged at a predetermined horizontal angle with relation to the other end section so that one end section extends laterally beyond the other vend section for an amount equal to that required due to the off-center arrangement of the bowl with respect to the stack, a vertical section arranged at the outer end of one horizontal 'end section, a bend integrally connecting the vertical section and said outer end, the com- `panion horizontal end section having a straight outer end,

the straight outer end engaging within the horizontal coupling of the stack and the vertical section engaging within the tubular bottom of the toilet bowl.

2. A plumbing unit comprising, a vertical stack having Va horizontal coupling, a toilet bowl'arranged Ynear and the off center arrangement of the bowl with respect to the stack, a vertical section arranged at the outer end of one horizontal end section, a bend integrally connecting the vertical section and said outer end, the companion horizontal end section having a straight outer end, the straight outer end engaging within the horizontal coupling of the stack and the vertical section engaging within the tubular bottom of the toilet bowl, and tappings connected with i one of said horizontal end sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.12,688 Oakes Aug. 27, 1907 683,906 Brown Oct. 8, 1901 2,482,359 Molloy Sept. 20, 1949 

